I've moved!

http://wholepictureeats.wordpress.com/

Summer's Bounty

I love fresh summer vegetables.  Everything is so fresh, ripe and incredibly tasty.  So when summer comes, I try to really take advantage of them while they've all hit their "peak".

I've been sooo lucky to live in the same house as my in-laws, where my husband & I can share in their bountiful garden. I have access to such freshness right in my backyard, so awesome! Here are photos of just some of the amazing things we've had the chance to share. Mmm...

Eggplants, cucumbers, peppers and of course, tomatoes.

 Ah, tomatoes.

Fresh garden tomatoes drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil and a dash of salt, yum. I could eat that salad all day long. Nothing says summer like a simple tomato salad.

Better enjoy it before summer slips away!

Healthy Eating

For the past year or so, I've been interested in healthy eating and in the "organic & natural" lifestyle. My sister-in-law had sparked my interest in it when she started going organic & natural for her son. She has been doing it consistently and teaching me a lot about what she learned.  A few months ago, she asked me if I wanted to attend a healthy eating class, taught by her friend who is a health counselor. Man did that open my eyes! I learned sooooo much from just 3 classes and I was eager to learn more.

I constantly scour blogs, online resources, books, magazines - anything - that talks about this "way of life". It also seems to be the "thing" right now. All sorts of food, beauty products, clothing, household materials - you name it - that are natural, healthy, green, organic are popping up everywhere! It's really great that these things are much more affordable and accessible to the everyday consumer, but I have learned that it's really important to read the labels and do your own research about these items before purchasing as much as possible.

A lot of companies are using these terms so loosely... taking advantage of that market and up-pricing these so-called "natural" products. Doing this research really will help you find what's really good for you and what's not - and it will help you save money because living this way can get expensive. But better to spend money on good quality and good-for-you foods than on medicine and doctor bills, right? (more on that another time).

Look for THIS label (or something like it) for CERTIFIED organic items!

With all that said, I'd like to share some of the things I learned. Earlier this year, my friend Shelby started culinary school (yayy!) and she had e-mailed me asking how she could stay healthy while in school. I am incredibly honored & humbled that she reached out to me! Of course I was soooo excited because I had so much information to share and loved that someone else was willing to learn from something from me.

Here is Shelby's e-mail (thanks for letting me share!):

Hey Celina,

Was hoping that you could help me stay thin! LOLOLOL. I am going to culinary school and I know that you have a sweet tooth, but long story short, I really wanted to get some pointers as to how you stay so thin. I know this is ridiculous, but you always look really healthy and I know that you aren't a "work-out-a-holic" or have any major dietary restrictions. I have been scouring your blog hoping to see something about staying thin, healthy, and loving food - but you haven't posted anything about it yet(IDEA)...lolololol. Anyways, when you get a few minutes can you send me a few tips or fun recipes or even what you eat in a day...lol. Thanks, Love! 

Here are the tips & tricks I shared with Shelby in my response to her - more simplified. I'm still learning everyday but these are the things that I've learned and wanted to share with her. These tips definitely helped me out in trying to stay healthy:

• Start by eating organic vegetables & fruits, dairy and meat.

• Buy organic dairy & meat as often as possible - my grocery store (Stop & Shop) has their own brand of natural products that are mostly (not entirely) organic. The eggs, milk and meats are good! You can actually taste the difference! And it's so worth it.
• Check out EWG's List of Fruits & Veggies ranking 49 popular fruits & vegetables by their pesticide levels (from best to WORST).  The last 12 are called the "Dirty Dozen" - try to get THOSE organic as much as possible! I don't always buy organic for the "Clean 15" (top 15 fruits/veggies) but I try to as much as possible. I bring this list with me whenever I go grocery shopping!
• Incorporate more greens & grains in your diet - especially organic greens.  
• Grains include brown rice, quinoa, millet, spelt, barley (all organic when possible).. organic pastas & breads made w/those types of flour. Try to go for grains that are not made with white/processed flour.

• An easy way to get greens in is through smoothies! My teacher made an awesome & delicious smoothie that used a lot of greens and fruit in it (NO SUGAR added), but tasted fruity & sweet. She makes them for breakfast and they provide lots of natural energy. 
• Try replacing refined sugars (ALL sugar - white, brown, powdered - you name it) with natural sweeteners or if necessary, organic sugars. One of the best kinds is organic raw honey which I now use in my tea & for baking. It looks strange b/c it's in solid form, but it can be softened/melted. Others include maple syrup, sucanat, agave, stevia and so many more.
• Stay away from foods with high-fructose corn syrup (also called corn sugar) and any ARTIFICIAL sweeteners (Sweet & Low, Splenda, Equal) - those are especially bad for you. Sweet & Low has aspartame which is linked to cancer!

• Try to eat WHOLE, REAL foods that have an expiration date. The foods that Mother Nature created all have a shelf life - plants, animals - so try to stick to eating those things that are whole & real. If it's in a box/can/jar and lasts forever, it's probably not a whole food.
• Some people swear by the Raw diet which is described as:

"The raw food diet is a diet based on unprocessed and uncooked plant foods, such as fresh fruit and vegetables, sprouts, seeds, nuts, grains, beans, nuts, dried fruit, and seaweed. Heating food above 116 degrees F is believed to destroy enzymes in food that can assist in the digestion and absorption of food. Cooking is also thought to diminish the nutritional value and "life force" of food so they literally eat things raw."

While a drastic change isn't necessary, I've tried to incorporate things like having my veggies & fruits  in raw form (i.e. salads and smoothies), raw nuts, seeds and trying not to overcook veggies so as to keep the nutrients in. 

• The most important thing I learned is to ADD-IN slowly. No need to empty out your entire kitchen and buy all these expensive natural & organic products. Don't go crazy. But DO start slowly. Even if it's just 1 little thing a month or something.. getting into the habit is important.

Trying to implement all these things in my life has been a fun challenge. I like being aware of these things, looking out for what I put in my body and on it, too. Of course, I break from this lifestyle all the time (sweets are my weakness) but having this awareness of the good things that are out there really helps me try harder to stay on track.

The American culture often glorifies the super-quick, easy-to-buy-and-make foods that are not so good for you. Let's try to change that. One organic vegetable or carton of milk at a time :o)